The old Man Utd Thread

[fatbob]

C'est la vie

Sorry, "I don't speak French, but such is life".

[Liamness]

Hopefully, our style wasn't as good as it was the year before, and that not as good as the year before that IMO. Hopefully if the boss builds the team around Rooney then we will be just as good in a different way. I think Rooney's waited long enough to become the focus already.

Absolutely. 4-4-2, with Rooney in a free role behind a striker (Berbatov or maybe, hopefully, Benzema). The signings I would like to see would be Valencia, and Sneijder. We could probably push Sniejder up behind a striker (Rooney can't play there all the time), and encourage him to shoot on sight, which as we know he's great at. We also know he's a great free kick taker, which we may need after losing Ronaldo and Tevez. He could be more withdrawn, or he could play on the wing. Probably wouldn't have to pay too much for him either. Valencia we know all about, I think he could develop into a really top player.

[fatbob]

When we were initially linked with Benzema a couple of years ago, we were also linked with Hatem Ben Arfa, who has since moved onto Marseille.

Hes a great, fast and talented young winger and when he was with Benzema at Lyon they were clinical.

Might be a good shout to re-unite them at United?

[redbloodcell]

I don't think you need to buy Benzema if you're playing 4-4-2, let Rooney and Berbatov actually form a partnership and you'll see why we demanded £30m for him last summer. You should be after another striker but someone younger who won't mind being on the bench and can be developed.

[The Fox]

When we were initially linked with Benzema a couple of years ago, we were also linked with Hatem Ben Arfa, who has since moved onto Marseille.

Hes a great, fast and talented young winger and when he was with Benzema at Lyon they were clinical.

Might be a good shout to re-unite them at United?

One of the main reasons Ben Arfa left Lyon was because him and Benzema apparently didn't get on at all. So it's unlikely they'll be reunited anywhere.

[fatbob]

Huh, I'd always heard the opposite, but I guess that makes sense.

Hear Barca are after Ashley Young for £35 million

I've suggested him a few times in this thread but for that money, its a bit silly.

[phresh]

Barcelona will probably look for a long-term replacement for Henry this season or next so it's understandable. Not sure if Young would be that man though, hell of an opportunity if they did take him over there though and would certainly benefit the England team.

[Liamness]

You should be after another striker but someone younger who won't mind being on the bench and can be developed.

For that, we've got Macheda and Welbeck. I think we need more than two top-quality striker, but yeah it's very difficult because if you bench one player, they know they can get football somewhere else. I'm just not sure two's enough.

[redbloodcell]

Heavily rotating a front 2 isn't going to be as productive as building and keeping a partnership together though, and to keep another top striker happy you'd need to do that.

[fatbob]

Aye, but form and injuries are to be taken into consideration when you aim to progress into the latter stages of 4 competitions at least every season.

Your team always seem to have at least four decent stikers on the go at any one point. Don't think its too much to ask to have three.

[redbloodcell]

At least one of them was always unhappy about being on the bench. When Defoe was playing with Mido Keane was unhappy, when Keane was playing with Berbatov Defoe and Mido were unhappy, then Defoe and Bent were unhappy. Even with 4 competitions we had trouble keeping players happy, that's why we had to sell Defoe even though we didn't really want to.

[fatbob]

Maybe you're right, a lot of the problems with Tevez started when Berbatov came in, but when we had an injury we always had Ronaldo to provide attcking flair and goals. We're essentially down two forwars now. So as much as Rooney and Berbatov could be a great partnership, we could still do with someone I think... its a tough one. I can see why Fergie and club are targetting young talent now anyway..

[redbloodcell]

Remember also that this is a world cup year, no good player is going to want to be on the bench this season and risk their place.

[dizogg]

You need another Solskjaer! Thats why he was so important, he had quality but didn't mind being a squad player. Its really hard to find.

[Liamness]

You need another Solskjaer! Thats why he was so important, he had quality but didn't mind being a squad player. Its really hard to find.

Yep, he'd actually use his time on the bench to observe the game, spotting weaknesses in case he did need to come on and turn the game around.

[Mr Do 71]

I think the shape of Man U's team, and their style of play, will change so that they're built around Rooney, rather than a Ronaldo type player. I don't think Man U will necessarily have to replace him, really. They're just gonna switch it up in a way that the Ronaldo-shaped hole is gonna be patched over, rather than filled, if you get what I mean. They're gonna be a different beast altogether next season.

Definitely! We need to let Rooney play in his favourite position, than out on the left wing.

[ckny]

Hilarious. Keep em coming like that. People will rightly think you're mad tho.

What? He wasn't good enough to displace Rooney or Ronaldo so rightly wasn't being played.

[cantonarv]

I don't think you need to buy Benzema if you're playing 4-4-2, let Rooney and Berbatov actually form a partnership and you'll see why we demanded £30m for him last summer. You should be after another striker but someone younger who won't mind being on the bench and can be developed.

what like kiko and welbeck?

[Gringo]

What? He wasn't good enough to displace Rooney or Ronaldo so rightly wasn't being played.

I was referring to the mid-table joke you made.

[redbloodcell]

what like kiko and welbeck?

If they're good enough then sure, why not. It'd both save you a bundle and allow you to develop the next generation properly rather than have them sit and stagnate in the reserves league.

I thought Macheda was more of an attacking midfielder though rather than an out and out striker, I'm not exactly well versed in your youth system Its work enough keeping up to date on where all of ours are!

[phresh]

Macheda has always been a striker. The other (full!) Italian in the reserves, Petrucci, is the attacking midfielder.

I expect Wellbeck to be a regular on the bench next season although Tosic has shown some form at the U21's so who knows. There is still a chance Campbell may stay, especially as we don't need the money anymore. He doesn't have the raw skill but he has a bloody good eye for goal and for that alone i'd be happy if he stayed. You'd have to expect Ljajic to go into the squad pretty quickly too, you don't normally pay £10mill for a reserve player.

[ckny]

I was referring to the mid-table joke you made.

City will finish mid table, again. No doubts, questions, ifs or buts about it.

[fatbob]

Hmm, I dunno, I think 6th is possible if Villa loose any more key players.

[Gringo]

City will finish mid table, again. No doubts, questions, ifs or buts about it.

Sorry, I was entirely confused about what you were on about. I thought you meant Utd would finish mid-table. Excuse my stupidity, carry on

[FATEone]

City will finish mid table, again. No doubts, questions, ifs or buts about it.

I feel a bet coming on! What constitutes midtable in your opinion?

[fatbob]

8th to 12th surely?

or 7th to 13th

[FATEone]

Well CKNY me ol' mucker, I'll have an avatar bet with ya that they finish 7th or higher, if you fancy it.

[fatbob]

Would it not be the middle 3rd? 8th to 14th or 7th to 13th?

I'd call 7th to 13th as 7th is the first non-European place.

Ah I meant 8th to 14th, typo.

[ckny]

I accept your challenge, Fate. Seventh or higher, you win.

You'll probably be banned by the end of next season anyway.

[phresh]

Benzema's agent has said it would be unlikely he will move to United (or anywhere else) in a World Cup year. Who is he in direct competition with for the French strikers position? You'd assume no matter how well you did in Ligue 1 if another French striker did better in Italy/Spain/England they would get the nod ahead of him.

We are being linked with Douglas Costa again though, I watched some videos of him a few months ago and he looks a cracking player. Bit lightweight but he doesn't tend to run with the ball too much, plays the ball into space and goes from there. Very direct and the kind of skills that would suit a counter-attacking United side.